Apparatus for determining temperatures of molten metal



APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING TEMPERATURES OF MOLTEN METAL Filed Sept. 1, 1944 H. H. LOCKE July 10, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l [Law NNN

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' INVENTOR 6y; HARRY/7. LOCKE,

y 1951 I H. H. LOCKE 2,560,232

APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING TEMPERATURES 0F MOLTEN'METAL Filed Sept. 1, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HARP YH LOC/(E,

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July 10, 1951 I H, H. LOCKE APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING TEMPERATURES OF MOLTEN METAL Filed Sept. 1, 1944 s shets-sheem.

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INVENTOR HARRYHLOC/(E,

Patented July 10, 1951 .APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING TEMPERA- TURES OF MOLTEN METAL Harry H. Locke, Wilkinsburg, Pa., assignor to United States Steel Company, a corporation of New J ersey Application September 1, 1944, Serial No. 552,360

3 Claims. (Cl. 73-355) The present invention provides improvements in the automatic recording of temperatures of molten metal, the said improvements eliminating manual manipulations and the intervention of the human equation. More particularly, the invention relates to the determination and recording of the temperatures of open hearth steel as it is poured from a ladle into ingot molds.

I The metal, when in proper condition, is tapped from the open hearth furnace, and allowed to flow from the furnace into the ladle, from which the molten steel is teemed into the ingot molds. As soon as the stream from the furnac no longer contains any steel, the spout is removed and the ladle is lifted by a crane and carried to the pouring platform. The ladle is placed with its nozzle over the center and about a foot from the top of the first mold in the mold train. The stopper in the nozzle is raised and the steel flows through the nozzle into the mold below.

Since the temperature of th metal entering the mold from the ladle has an important bearing on the properties of the ingots, it is desirable to check accurately the temperatures of the metal being teemed, and to record such temperatures for future reference.

In order to make estimates of the temperature of the metal being teemed, the customary practice is for an observer with a portable optical pyrometer to take a few teeming temperatures, generally the second mold, middle mold, and next to the last mold of the heat and call the average of these readings the teeming temperature of the heat. Generally, no record is made of runnin stoppers, slow teeming, thin streams, and other pertinent data that is desirable to have. Also, the use of an optical pyrometer is not particularly satisfactory, it being subject to inaccuracies and also involves the unreliabilities attendant to the really close control, and the entire temperature control is based upon what are, largely, approximations only, wherein discrepancies are inevitable.

The present apparatus enables an automaticand constant determination and recording of teeming temperatures for each ingot and such 2 ber of ingots teemed, delays, and other pertinent data.

The invention will be understood more clearly by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 represents an elevation of the apparatus of the present invention, the ladle to which the apparatus is applied being shown fragmentarily, as likewise is an ingot mold for receiving metal from the ladle;

Figure 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to Figure 1, but showing the entire ladle in side elevation;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view showing reeling instrumentalities employed in connection with the present invention;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a light-sensitive unit employed in connection with the present invention, the said unit being a house ing with a suitable pyrometer. mounted within it;

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the sensitive unit of Figure 4, the view being the left hand end of the unit as viewed in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the unit of Figure 4', the view being the right hand end of the unit as viewed in Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through a holder adapted to receive the sensitive unit of Figure 4, and to mount the said holder; and

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional elevation of the holder of Figure 7, the view being taken on the section line 88 of Figure (looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, and first to Figures 1 and 2, a ladle is represented by the reference character A, which is shown in metal teeming position over an ingot mold B,

temperatures are recorded on a chart which shows.

not only the temperature but also the time of teeming, clean shut-off by the ladle stopper, running of metal due to a poor fitting stopper, nummetal being teemed into the mold B being indicated at C, flowing from the nozzle D.

The invention includes a unit E which is responsive to the temperature of the metal being teemed, and which is mounted in a stirrup F through the intermediary of a ring holder G.

The unit E is a temperature responsiv means. Thus, the unit E may be either an optical pyrometer which is responsive to the temperature of the metal being teemed, as determined by the intensity of the color or light emitted by the metal being teemed or the unit E, or it may be a radiation pyrometer which is responsive to the temperature of the metal being teemed as determined by the amount of heat radiated therefrom.

The unit E includes a housing III, which has an enlarged end l2 and a longitudinally extending bore l4 for receiving the barrel 16 of the temperature responsive unit, which barrel is directed onto the stream of metal flowing through the ladle into the mold, and serves to convey energy from the said stream of metal to the sensitive element in the enlarged head l8 of the housing for the sensitive element, this head l8 being received in the enlarged end l2 of the housing II], as shown in Figure 4.

The unit including the said sensitive element is inserted in the housing I through the end 20, which may be covered when in service by a plate 22 held in position by cap screws 24. This plate has a suitable hole 26 therethrough for the passage of electric leads 28, which leads conduct current from the sensitive element to the temperature recorder, to be referred to hereinafter in greater detail.

This housing 10 also has passages 30 extending longitudinally therethrough, which passages open through the end 32 of the housing through ports 34, these passages being provided for the passage of cooling air which is admitted into the housing [8 through inlet 36, in which is a fitting 38 for a flexible compressed air pipe 40 for supplying compressed air into the housing from a suitable source thereof.

The walls of the bore [4 guide the barrel 18' of the housing for the sensitive unit and positions this housing properly in the housing Ill. The end of this barrel 16 has an unobstructed view of the metal stream flowing from the ladle through the open end 42 of the bore M. The housing In is provided with a longitudinally extending rib 44 -which forms an abutment for a set screw 46 in a supporting ring 48 in which the housing 10 is received, .this ring 48 being provided, with achannel 50 which receives the rib 44, thereby preventing rotation of the housing In. The set screw 46 is manually adjusted for suitably holding the housing Ill.

The ring member 48 has a pair of opposing detents which receive pins 5|, which pins pro-' ject inwardly from the ends of radial arms 52 forming the stirrup F, which swing vertically on hinge mountings 54 which are formed by pins extending through lugs 56 on the ladle A. A second pair of lugs 58 also is provided with a long pin 60 extending therethrough and through registering holes in the radial arms 52. A hook 62 which is swingably mounted on hinge 64 on flange 86 of ladle A, and is adapted to engage the ring member 48 when the housing [9 with its enclosed semitive element removed during nonuse, is swung upwardly into the dotted line position -shown in Figures 1 and 2.

In order to facilitate the removal of the housing H] with its enclosed sensitive element, the leads 28 and flexible air hose 40 are passed around separate pulley drums 68 and Ill, respectively, which are mounted on a common, hollow shaft I2. This shaft 12 is mounted in a bracket frame 14, which is pivotally mounted at 16 to bracket 18 secured to a wall or panel 80 of a platform 82. Bracket 18 is reinforced by a supporting web 84 which extends from the I-beam 86 to the end bracket 18 and rigidly supports this bracket 18.

The drums 88 and are rotated by means of a weight 88 which is hung from a cable 88 passing around a drum 92. This drum 92 is mounted imilarly on shaft 12. A suflicient pull on air hose 40 and leads 28 when the housing In is inserted in the holding ring member 48, rotates the drums against the pull of the weight 88, to un-- wind the hose 4D and'leads 28 from the drums.

. and 3, are mounted above the pouring platform 82 When the housing I0 is removed from the holding ring member 48, the weight 88 descends and winds up the hose 40 and leads 28. Movement of weight 88 is guided by the vertical frame 94 mounted on platform 82.

The shaft 12 is provided with a hollow sleeve 96, a fitting 98 for receiving an end of a connecting air hose I00 which connects the sleeve 96 with the compressed air pipe I82. The shaft 12 connects the sleeve 96 with the air hose 4B. The drum 68 for the leads 28 is provided with a current collector ring I04 against which bears a brush I06, the holder I08 for which brush is mounted on the bracket frame 14. A conductor H0 connects the brush N16 with a temperature recorder I I2 mounted on the wall or panel 80.

By the use of the foregoing apparatus the temperatures of each and every ingot teemed will be indicated and recorded on a chart which shows not only the temperature, but also time of teeming of each ingot, total teeming time, teeming temperatures, slow teeming, overrunning stoppers, and any irregularities in the teeming.

It will be seen from the foregoing, that the present improved apparatus comprises a ring mounting attached to the ladle, and arranged to support the head or eye piece of the temperature responsive instrument, the whole which is being arranged to focus directly on the stream of metal leaving the ladle, as shown in Figures l and 2. To this head is attached a connection for a flexible hose, by which compressed air can be used both for cooling and for blowing away any smoke or sparks that may come between the pyrometer and the molten stream, so as to eliminate incorrect temperature readings. The mounting secured to the ladle is arranged so that it will fold up against the side of the ladle and out of the way when the pyrometer head is removed and not in service. This pyrometer head can be inserted and withdrawn at will.

When temperatures are to be taken, the mounting on the ladle is lowered into place, and the pyrometer head to which are'attached the air hose and electric lead wires, is inserted into the ring mounting and will remain there until all temperatures have been taken, .after which it is to be removed and hung up in a suitable place until it is again needed.

The electric lead wires and air hose from the head are carried to the overhead reeling drfims. Electric connections are made between the drum and the chart recording instrument H2, which records the values above indicated, none of which data is available in any of the practices em ployed prior to the present invention.

The overhead reeling drums shown in Figures 1 at such height as does not interfere with the workmen on the pouring platform, while operating in a manner to give and take up all slack necessary in hose and wire.

The apparatus of the present invention eliminates all uncertainties incident to the interposition of the human element, andit can be applied to the taking of casting temperatures wherever a stream of molten metal is flowing, and it enables the obtaining of data that hitherto has been unavailable.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for obtaining temperatures of a stream of molten metal being teemed from a ladle into an ingot mold, which comprises, in combination, a mounting pivotally attached to the ladle and extending below the bottom thereof,

said mounting being movable about its pivot to raise its lower end above the bottom of the ladle, a housing carried by the'mounting'at the lower end thereof, a temperature-responsive element for measuring the temperature of the metal being teemed held in the said mounting, means for adjusting the said housing in the mounting for enabling the temperature-responsive element to be aimed directly at the stream of metal flowing from the ladle,'a temperature-indicating instrument, means electrically connecting the said fluid onto the molten metal for blowing any;

obscuring material away from the line of vision .of the said element.

2. Apparatus for obtaining temperatures of a stream of molten metal being teemed from a ladle into an ingot mold, which comprises, in

combination, a mounting pivotally attached to the ladleand extending below the bottom thereof, said mounting being movable about its pivot to 0nd reeling drum for taking-up slack in the flexible conduit, a common shaft for .the reel--' raise its iower end above the bottom of the ladle,

a housing carried by the mounting at the lower end thereof, aheat-sensitive eleotric'current generating element operable responsively to the temperature of the stream of metal removably mounted in the said housing, means for adjusting the said housing and element in the mounting for enabling the sensitive element to be aimed directly at the stream. of metal flowing from the ladle, a temperature-indicating instrument, conductor. leads for conducting current from the said element to the temperature-indicating instrument, said housing having passages therein for circulating cooling fluid lengthwise therethrough around the said element in heat exchange relation therewith, said passages opening into ports at the end of the housing .for directing the cooling fluid onto the molten metal for blowing any obscuring material away from the line of vision of the said element and for cooling the said element, a flexible conduit for supplying fluid to the said fluid-circulating means, reeling drums for taking up slack in the electric leads and flexible conduit, there being a reeling combination, a mounting pivotally attached to the ladle and extending below the bottom thereof, said mounting being movable about its pivot to raise its lower end above the bottom of the ladle,

a housing carried by the mounting at the lower end thereof, a heat-sensitive element operable responsiveiy to the temperature of the stream of metal removablymounted in the said housing, means for adjusting the said housing and heatsensitive element relativeto the mounting for enabling the heat-sensitive element to be aimed directly at the stream ofmetal flowing from the ladle, a temperature-indicating instrument,

leads electrically connected to said element, said housing having passages therein for circulating cooling fluid therethrough around the said heatsensitive element in heat exchange relation therewith, said passages opening into ports at the end of the housing for directing the cooling fluid onto the molten metal for blowing any obscuring material away from the line or vision of the said heat-sensitive element and for cooling the said. element, a flexible conduit for supplying fluid to the said fluid-circulating means, a reeling drum to which the electric leadsare connected for taking up slack therein, a secing drums-electrical connectionsf'on-the reeling. drum for the said leads, the electrical connections including a current collecting ring on the connecting the conduit to 'a source of cooling fluid, and a counterweight for the said reeling drums for automatically operating the said drums responsive to slackin the leads and flexible conduit for taking up suchv slack.

, HARRY H. oom; I

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the. I

file of this patent: 3 UNITED STATES PATEu'rs Number Name Date 2,020,019 Collinset al. Nov. 5, 1935 I 2,054,382 Larsen et al. Sept. 15, 1936 2,074,641 Clark Mar. 23, 1937 2,116,450 Richardson et 21;.-. May 3,..1938 2,184,169 Sordahl Dec. 19, 1939 2,232,594.. Dike Feb. 1.8, 1941 2,275,265 Mead f .Mar. '3, 1942 VoHrath Feb 13, 1945 

